What should the Blazers do about the center spot?

[Goldbum]

Hart +Brown
4
Reddish +Hartenstein?

[DaVoiceMaster]

Hart +Brown
4
Reddish +Hartenstein?

Why would NYK/PDX do that?

[tester551]

Hart +Brown
4
Reddish +Hartenstein?

Neither Reddish nor Brown have much value IMO.

I like Hartenstein, but I have an irrational love for how Hart plays. No way do I give that up in this type of trade.

[BlazersBroncos]

Hart is exactly the guy you need when you have 3 22+ point scorers on the team. He does all the little things, doesnt demand usage, alleviates the rebounding issues Ant and Grant bring, passes well and is a nice 3rd ballhandler when needed.

No way I give him up for a backup C and a guy that is more frame than player.

[BNM]

It literally blows my mind how even when he gets an offensive rebound standing by the basket and has plenty of time to dunk it he never does. He seems to love these flip shot instead. Dude just dunk the **** ball, it's likely a 95% success rate with a dunk and even if they try to grab or stop it they likely foul.

It would be one thing if his flip shots near the rim were far more affective but they aren't.

He dunked the ball once last game. What more do you want?

I was surprised when he did it. I've never seen a 7 footer that doesnt dunk the ball. Are his legs just shot and he's not able to jump much? I just don't get it. I really hate it when he flips the ball at the basket. I'm so tired of watching it.

I assume there is some underlying issue because this has to be the most obvious thing in the world. No way in hell does Chauncey not realize that a dunk is the most optimal shot when you get an offensive rebound and can dunk it. I seem to remember him dunking more when he first became a Blazer years ago.

Here's Nurk's: games played, dunks, % of FGA that were dunks since becoming a Blazer:

2016-17: 20, 16, 6.8%
2017-18: 79, 61, 6.8%
2018-19: 72, 68, 9.7%
2019-20: 8, 15, 13.8%
2020-21: 37, 28, 9.3%
2021-22: 56, 35, 6.2%
2022-23: 21, 7, 3.6%

So yes he's dunking far less than he used to, but I'm a little surprised at when he actually peaked. His first two years in POR 6.8% of his shots were dunks. Then he really ramped it up his 3rd - 5th seasons in POR. 2018-19 was his best overall season, but unfortunately that season was cut short in late March when he had the nasty compound fractures of his tibia and fibula.

I really thought that injury would have been the start of a downward trend in his dunking, but it wasn't. Sure, the 8 game sample size during the 2020 bubble is tiny, but he was right back above 9% in 2020-21. 2021-22 saw him return to the 6% range, similar too his early years in POR, but this year he's really fallen off a cliff (so far).

So, is that the cumulative effect of all his injuries, is he out of shape, or just being lazy? It will be interesting to see how this plays out the rest of the season. If he doesn't get his dunk% back up above 6% by the end of the year, we may be looking at a permanent decline is his athleticism. A guy that big doesn't have to jump very high to dunk a basketball. It's not like he was ever a high flyer, but at least he used to dunk often and with authority, something that's missing from his game this year.

Edit: his BLK% has also been way down the past two seasons:

2016-17: 5.2%
2017-18: 4.3%
2018-19: 4.2%
2019-20: 5.4%
2020-21: 4.0%
2021-22: 2.1%
2022-23: 2.6%

Not a good trend...

I know it's only an 8 game sample size but bubble Nurk was a beast and he picked up right were he left off when he broke his leg.

[GEE]

Listed at 290 Lbs. This must be the biggest concern. He can't be anywhere near that number. I think Chauncey is all over this, because in recent games Nurkic has been getting absolutely run for extended minutes. He appears to be forcefully getting his butt into shape, and should drop some LB's, if he hasn't already(from preseason), but the point remains that he looked heavy Day 1... in more EURO-Shape than NBA-shape, and that can't(and likely won't one way or the other) continue. Good thing is, it seems like the challenge to the big fella has already been issued, and he seems to be willing to accept it, giving a maximum effort in recent games.

One doesn't have to look far from home for another example/success story regarding a players battle with his' own body, getting it right through diet(by having a chef/dietician) and a better training program. KEVIN LOVE. I remember him being so big, slow and just doughy. But K Love realized this early in his career, did exactly the above, won a chip and still has a fairly good career going today as a direct result of putting in the hard work, off the court.

In summary, Out of shape: Yes... Lazy: Also Yes. Fixable: Absolutely, but I think patience is wearing thin.

[DaVoiceMaster]

He's been getting run recently because Eubanks has been sucking lately. I really wish we had a better backup center not named Eubanks or Watford.

[HoopsFanAZ]

Nurkic + Little + Keon + go for it (any sweeteners) to Indiana for Myles Turner + Jalen Smith

[Goldbum]

Nurkic + Little + Keon + go for it (any sweeteners) to Indiana for Myles Turner + Jalen Smith

I would do this in a heart beat

[ebott]

Nurkic + Little + Keon + go for it (any sweeteners) to Indiana for Myles Turner + Jalen Smith

I don't have any insider information of any kind. But from reading internet BS the Pacers seem 100% committed to Turner. If you threw Shaedon into that trade proposal i think they would still hang up on you. But I love the idea. Any trade that ships out Nurk and gets us a more mobile big man would be awesome.

[GEE]

I would rather try to just add Jalen Smith and keep Nurkic. I hope Cronin will simply pick the best target he can possibly get, and OVERPAY to get the guy that he really wants. If Jalen is THE GUY, then go get him!

[Skybox]

Sharpe looks like the real deal and GP should be back soon...let's talk Simons for WCJ+?

or, Hart for Bamba+?

[BlazersBroncos]

Sharpe looks like the real deal and GP should be back soon...let's talk Simons for WCJ+?

or, Hart for Bamba+?

I dont think Sharpe is ready for a starting role and GP2 is a specialist, not a big minute guy.

I dont see Bamba as a improvement over Eubanks and dont think PDX spent all the time developing Simons to move him for a solid if unspectacular guy in WCJ (Not to mention it necessitates a follow up Nurkic deal, which is hard as I dont see much market for him).

I floated Simons for JI + WCJ but I dont think PDX would do it and with the way Ant is playing lately, I dont think I do it either. He has markedly improved the 2nd half of this season so far IMO.

Our C spot isnt ideal but I dont see many options to improve. Nurkic is what he is, and what he is is meh for the most part w/o much of a trade market. Trying to upgrade him is hard as any deal for a better C would have to include Nurkic IMO, and I dont really see any swaps out there where the other team takes Nurkic and gives a better C (Obviously w/ PDX sending other assets as well).

And at backup, assuming we dont want to move rotation guys I dont see many options either. We could cobble together a Winslow/Keon/Brown type package but I think moving Justice is tremendously risky - his handle is really important when Dame is off the floor. Eubanks has been fine IMO. I hate the Noel rumor, I dont think he is better than Drew.

I think we just roll with Nurkic and Drew. Its not ideal, but no team has a ideal rotation at all 5 spots. The other 4 are pretty freaking good right now.

[GEE]

Wire Tap shows the Lakers are again walking the tampering line. This time using the Athletic for some BS article providing us all with their "Dream Scenario" of landing one of KD, Dame or Beal. As I'd said in that comment section: It plants a very real seed in Dame's head with the hope that it grows.

Reason I post that here is because I can imagine what our Blazers would look like if both LeGM and Dame get together and decide they want to team up. Is this out of the realm of possibility?

Westbrook / AD / '27 & '29 (unprotected) / Swaps? <<<<>>>> Dame / Nurkic / Hart

Simons / Westbrook / Keon
Sharpe / GP2
Grant / Little / GB3
Winslow / Watford / Walker
AD / Eubanks / Badji

[Blaze the Nugz]

Wire Tap shows the Lakers are again walking the tampering line. This time using the Athletic for some BS article providing us all with their "Dream Scenario" of landing one of KD, Dame or Beal. As I'd said in that comment section: It plants a very real seed in Dame's head with the hope that it grows.

Reason I post that here is because I can imagine what our Blazers would look like if both LeGM and Dame get together and decide they want to team up. Is this out of the realm of possibility?

Westbrook / AD / '27 & '29 (unprotected) / Swaps? <<<<>>>> Dame / Nurkic / Hart

Simons / Westbrook / Keon
Sharpe / GP2
Grant / Little / GB3
Winslow / Watford / Walker
AD / Eubanks / Badji

You want to trade three starers for a dude who can't stay on the floor?

[m0ng0]

Exactly, trade the house for this? No f*cking way! Nurk has been playing decent lately.

[BNM]

Wire Tap shows the Lakers are again walking the tampering line. This time using the Athletic for some BS article providing us all with their "Dream Scenario" of landing one of KD, Dame or Beal. As I'd said in that comment section: It plants a very real seed in Dame's head with the hope that it grows.

Reason I post that here is because I can imagine what our Blazers would look like if both LeGM and Dame get together and decide they want to team up. Is this out of the realm of possibility?

Westbrook / AD / '27 & '29 (unprotected) / Swaps? <<<<>>>> Dame / Nurkic / Hart

Simons / Westbrook / Keon
Sharpe / GP2
Grant / Little / GB3
Winslow / Watford / Walker
AD / Eubanks / Badji

We can't trade Dame until July 9. 2023 and Davis is injured (yet again).

Shams: Anthony Davis Out At Least One Month with Foot Injury - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2249278

Due to Dame's trade restriction, we miss out on the Wembanyama draft. So, no need to tank.

Is the point to get out of Dame's contract extension? If so, why did we give him the extension in the first place?

So Westbrook salary dump, currently (and always) injured Anthony Davis at $40+ million for three years (unless we get lucky and he opts out of the final year). For what, a team that is a play in team at best, but not bad enough to get a top 4 pick. Sounds like treadmill hell.

And we lose the greatest Blazer ever in the process. No thanks!

[GEE]

Just to be clear for those that can't read so well... Never did I say I want this to happen, and have been pretty clear as to what I do want.

Point #1 Lakers are tampering with Dame by planting a seed, knowing the likelihood of the Dame/Simons pairing not taking us very far... just like it didn't with CJ.

Point #2 If LeGM wants to team up with Dame, and they have talks about it, who knows what the result might be, and this isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Point #3 By showing the roster depth after, it's at least worth considering if you're Cronin. If we're gunning for a championship banner, IMO we have little to no chance as long as we continue with the 6'1 / 6'4 pairing. It's not working!

As far as dates when mentioned players could be traded, I was going off of what the Trade Checker says: Jan 9 for Dame and Jan 15 for Nurk. Guess RealGM has it wrong.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Lol I dont think we need to worry about the Lakers. If you have a good player in this league and there are going to constantly be rumors about that star going to New York or LA but at this point in time it seems fatalistic to give them any credence because its nothing more than a wishlist.

[BNM]

Just to be clear for those that can't read so well... Never did I say I want this to happen, and have been pretty clear as to what I do want.

Point #1 Lakers are tampering with Dame by planting a seed, knowing the likelihood of the Dame/Simons pairing not taking us very far... just like it didn't with CJ.

Point #2 If LeGM wants to team up with Dame, and they have talks about it, who knows what the result might be, and this isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Point #3 By showing the roster depth after, it's at least worth considering if you're Cronin. If we're gunning for a championship banner, IMO we have little to no chance as long as we continue with the 6'1 / 6'4 pairing. It's not working!

As far as dates when mentioned players could be traded, I was going off of what the Trade Checker says: Jan 9 for Dame and Jan 15 for Nurk. Guess RealGM has it wrong.

I honestly don't see why either team makes this trade. It doesn't really make either one anywhere close to a contender. POR without Dame and an (always) injured AD isn't even a playoff team.

Yes, RealGM has it wrong on Dame. He can't be traded until 1 year after he signed his extension and that was on July 9.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/damian-lillard-10814/